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Why cruises are better than land vacations


sweetlove13
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I’ve been sitting at a bar at this resort during happy hour for about an hour and not one person has approached me and struck up a conversation. If this were a cruise I would have at least three new best friends by now. Cruisers are just so friendly! I’m here for a few days turning an out of state job interview into a vacation, but this just proves to me that cruising is the best way to vacation and that cruisers are the friendliest people around. Can’t wait until my next cruise!!!

 

 

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I’ve been sitting at a bar at this resort during happy hour for about an hour and not one person has approached me and struck up a conversation. If this were a cruise I would have at least three new best friends by now. Cruisers are just so friendly! I’m here for a few days turning an out of state job interview into a vacation, but this just proves to me that cruising is the best way to vacation and that cruisers are the friendliest people around. Can’t wait until my next cruise!!!

 

 

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Cruising is the best value for your "buck". You can fine somewhere to dine 24/7 ,exercise 12 hours a day,non stop entertainment and non stop relaxation if you wish.

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A cruise is better than a land vacation-because once we are on it-we don't have to drive anywhere to enjoy ourselves. We can drink if we want and not worry about one of us being the designated driver. And we don't have to drive to a movie, restaurant, or find something fun to do. It's all within walking distance. I sleep more than my husband-so I can turn in early-if I want-and he can stay up late to gamble. We spend most of our time together-but we each can have alone time when we need. We can cruise alone-with family members-other couples-other families-the choices are endless. Each cruise is always different. We can cruise for a week for what we normally spend on a 3 day weekend at a motel at the beach-when we find a good cruise deal.

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I would not say "better" - it is the difference that I like. Being fortunate in having plenty of time and a reasonable amount of disposable income, we can enjoy both: at least three getaways per year - and at least one of them a cruise --- but even if I had unlimited time and funds, I would not go 100% for cruises.

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The casino on the cruise only takes your money away when you loose. I was at a resort in Punta Cana and the casino took a percentage if you win... not sure if that is a norm but after that land vacation, I stuck with what I know best...cruising (not just because of the casino, many other reasons).

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.... Cruisers are just so friendly! ....

 

:confused: Have you read the tipping, formal-wear, children, threads around here?

 

If cruisers are a friendly bunch I can't even fathom what goes on over at landvacationcriticdotcom.:D

 

And BTW, perhaps people are not approaching you at the resort bar because you are too busy typing away on your iPhone. :confused:

;)

Edited by DirtyDawg
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I like both and can't really say I prefer one over the other. I can say that when I cruise the ports are my interest. While I enjoy time on the ship, if I couldn't get off I think I would get bored after more than a few days. I have no interest in poolside games or sitting at a bar for hours on end. I like to see new places. The shows in the evening are usually pretty good but besides the ice skating show on Oasis none of them are shows I would want to see again during the same sailing.

I haven't found cruise ship passengers to be anymore friendly than people anywhere else. I have encountered plenty of rude people on cruises including the two old bags who pushed my and my son's just made breakfast buffet plates filled with food and two steaming Starbuck's travel mugs of coffee aside to take our table when we were dumb enough to get up for juice. And then the one classy lady says "move your feet lose your seat" and then giggled like she was so clever when I told her the table was obviously taken. And they were not under 65. The was our first full day on board of our first ever cruise and I remember thinking that this is what we paid all this money for? Never again. But the rest of the cruise was great and with any vacation is what you make of it. Plenty of both lousy and great people anywhere.

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And lets not forget the great fun of checking in and out on the same day as the other 5600 people staying at your floating hotel. Scheduling flights to ensure that when you do show up your floating hotel will actually still be there, and making sure you keep an eye on the time while in ports of call for the same reason that you need to be diligent about scheduling flights.:D

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I’ve been sitting at a bar at this resort during happy hour for about an hour and not one person has approached me and struck up a conversation. If this were a cruise I would have at least three new best friends by now. Cruisers are just so friendly! I’m here for a few days turning an out of state job interview into a vacation, but this just proves to me that cruising is the best way to vacation and that cruisers are the friendliest people around. Can’t wait until my next cruise!!!

 

 

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Maybe because what happens on the ship stays on the ship??

 

 

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And lets not forget the great fun of checking in and out on the same day as the other 5600 people staying at your floating hotel. Scheduling flights to ensure that when you do show up your floating hotel will actually still be there, and making sure you keep an eye on the time while in ports of call for the same reason that you need to be diligent about scheduling flights.:D

 

Agree 100%.

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While we have done plenty of travel on land & sea both...

 

In terms of cruising...it's a true "vacation" because your job is to show up...and everyone else's job is to do all the work to help you enjoy it.

 

Agree. That is why we love it. Plus who doesn't like waking up in a foreign country?

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Yes on cruises people are friendly that is for sure, but I also feel people on a land based vacation are just as friendly....cruises are much much more economical than taking a land based vacation to any island...staying on an island is definitely much more costly you have airfare there which generally is a high cost, hotels are very expensive as so is food when you add up your land based vacation you will see you could of gone on two or three week long cruises!

 

Let me give you an example, and this is just for two adults:

 

I have been on 71 cruises so far at the age of 54 and cruising in two weeks again....we used to think cruises were the best vacations....most of the islands that cruise ships go to are not to us very nice and safe, you are docked at the most industrial place and for the handful of hours your docked there, you don't really have time to explore the entire island and see the major sights, you keep cruising to the same old places so for me, I seen it all done it all, bored now that we stay on the ship and don't get off at islands....you can get a good taste of an island by cruising but you miss the entire experience of the island, for this is the reason why I can't understand for the life of me why people feel ports are so important when deciding a cruise....to me its all about the ship after all 90% of your time is on the ship and not in the port.

 

A few years ago we took a land based vacation in Aruba and we have found ourselves going there for two weeks in a row every year, mainly during July and august. We LOVE Aruba, its an island where you won't have any haggling, venders going after you, people trying to sell you stuff on the beach or trying to braid your hair.... its a very peaceful and relaxing island and the people are the most friendly I ever met in all my travels and food is excellent, so many choices of wonderful restaurants BUT everything is expensive. We go back every year around the same time, the hotel workers (we stay at the Marriott Stellaris) remember us they all are there for years and have become our friends....even the hotel and time sharing (there is the Marriott Ocean and Marriott Surf all on the same property) guests are the most friendly people, probably more so than on a cruise ship....you would say why? The reason being there are more topics of conversation to bring up such as restaurants and such, you see these people on a daily basis and get to know them, you become friends more...so I disagree with the OP to a point.

 

Until going to Aruba I would always say cruising is my most favorite vacation, but since going to Aruba and going back yearly, I give up a cruise for Aruba....go figure thought I never say that but its true....but, I also would never give up my cruises either because I love them so much....everytihng at one place right at my fingertips, no need to take cabs to restaurants and I love having the drink packages that surely is such a plus to us.....cruises are economical when you compare a land based vacation to a cruise vacation and I never had a bad cruise ever and what is nice, people are friendly on both types of trips. :D

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It depends largely on what you want to do, or not do, when traveling.

 

My husband and I do a cruise once or twice a year for relaxation and warm winter climates. We are bookish, quiet people who like our own company but enjoy the occasional chat with others. We but don't gamble, play bingo, don't do specialty dining, care nothing about the art auctions, etc.

 

As a previous poster said, cruising lacks the immersion and off the beaten path quality of land travel. For me, absolutely nothing compares to the remoteness and beauty of Africa, far from any port and accessible only by bush plane. The thrill of seeing the Southern Cross from a Land Rover on a moonless African night and having my bread swiped by a stealthy baboon beats even the best cruise experience by far.

 

Yes, flying, particularly international, is about as appealing as removing my own eyes with melon ballers but much of where we have been or plan to go is far-flung.

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I would not say "better" - it is the difference that I like. Being fortunate in having plenty of time and a reasonable amount of disposable income, we can enjoy both: at least three getaways per year - and at least one of them a cruise --- but even if I had unlimited time and funds, I would not go 100% for cruises.

 

THIS.

 

Cruising is different and I would never want all my vacations to be on a cruise ship. For example, if I want pool/beach time, I'm going to have a much better vacation at a resort than the subpar pool experience on a cruise. I never personally understood why pools are so popular on cruises, actually.

 

Sometimes we like going camping. The feeling of truly being "on your own time" is great.

 

We cruise mostly for the itinerary. Cruise ships can't compare to large resorts so while we prefer the better ships, we would never cruise "for the ship". It's fun to visit 3 or 4 different places in a week without driving anywhere and enjoying the unique aspects of a cruise. We always get off the ship at every port and have something planned.

 

But everything does their thing I guess, and some are truly addicted to cruising!

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